awkward grace

these chubby little dancers in tutus are prairie coneflowers native to north america from mexico up to canada. i grabbed these from an off ramp in suburban minneapolis. they had been spared from the roadside brush cutters only because they were growing between the legs of a sign. it makes me wonder, what is we all stopped our good intentions (aka landscaping) and just let the native plants return. what would our cities look like then? perhaps then, i might be able to know if i was in pittsburg, or cleveland, or minneapolis. because right now, the suburbs in those cities are indistinguishable–each strip mall containing the exact same sun sandwich shop, dry cleaner, nail salon, and coffee shop. i am aching for more regionalism. more idiosyncrasy. more uniqueness. i want to know what’s unique here? how is this place different from my place. and how is it similar? returning to native flora and fauna seems a good place to start.

upright prairie coneflowers (Ratibida columnifera)